Revealing How I Found Myself in Motherhood

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I was not a woman who had baby fever, or planned out my pregnancy or dreamed about my future children. In fact, I was the opposite – I wasn’t even sure I wanted to have kids. I figured I would, especially since my husband wanted them, but I wasn’t overly excited about it.

That changed dramatically once Aiden arrived. Becoming a mom transformed me into a much better version of myself. There are days I sit back and wonder what happened. Like how could one little thing (OK, it’s kind of a big thing…) change my life just like that? Here are the things I found through motherhood:

Revealing How I Found Myself in Motherhood

The ability to ‘let go’

Becoming a mom seriously changes your point of reference. Instead of the world revolving around you (whether you admit it or not), it suddenly revolves around this little person. You now have to worry, not only about yourself, but about him and his future hopes and dreams.

I used to care very much about what people thought of me. I would have anxiety about asking questions, or bringing too much attention to myself. I was a perfectionist in the worst way – every aspect of my life had to be perfect. Now that Aiden is here, I no longer care what people think. As far as perfection, I let go of that too. There is no perfect when it comes to raising a baby, just like there is no perfect in life.

True confidence

Nothing will give you a huge confidence boost like being solely responsible for the life of a tiny human who can’t do much of anything. He can’t tell you how he is feeling, if he is hurt or hungry. He can’t even move from one point to another without your help. Motherhood is sink or swim. I believe that most women swim. For me, the new confidence I found followed me in other areas of my life too. It’s an amazing feeling!

Patience

If you asked anyone who knew me pre-pregnancy if I was a patient person, I am certain every one of them would say NO. Well, after the fourth trimester, baby gas, sleepless nights (and days) and teething I think it’s safe to say I learned patience. Babies cry and scream, sometimes for hours. I would say maybe 2% of the time we knew what was wrong, the remaining 98% we were trying to guess. If nothing else, babies definitely teach patience.

The ability to slow down

I am 100% your stereotypical East Coast girl, I am go, go, go all the time. Before having a baby I was happiest to have my time constantly filled. With a baby, everything takes 300% more time – just getting out of the house is a project sometimes. However, time flies. The days are long, but the years are short as they say.

Now, I have the opportunity to watch Aiden experience things for the first time – which is pretty incredible! The other day I was content to sit with him for an hour as he picked up a card and dropped it on different points on the floor so he could practice picking it up. He was so proud of himself and I was proud of him.

In this fast paced world, where our society is so into instant gratification, I have learned that it is actually nice to take a step back and slow down. Not to mention I see how fast Aiden is growing and I don’t want to miss a second of these amazing (and sometimes even not so amazing) baby moments.

Being a mom is the hardest thing I have ever done, but easily the most rewarding. How has motherhood changed you?

Making Motherhood Matter is part of several affiliate advertising programs. This means that if you make a purchase through links in my posts, you are helping me to buy my next cup of coffee or pack of diapers. All opinions are my own. For collaborations and advertising opportunities, please contact amylubooks (at) gmail (dot) com.